Danny Dunn remembered: Helmet of late, great Elkville fire chief on display at fire department barbecue Saturday

The white leather dress fire chief's helmet worn by the late and beloved Elkville Fire Chief Danny Dunn in the 1970s and 1980s will be on display during the annual volunteer firefighter's barbecue on Saturday at the new fire house.

Serving begins at 11 a.m.

Dunn's daughter Wendy White is donating the helmet to the fire department and it will be permanently on display once a new display case and helmet shield are purchased, both by anonymous donations.

White said her husband, Mike, and her aunt, Cindy Hagston, encouraged her to share the memories of her father with his old friends and colleagues. She is the only remaining member of her immediate family.

The helmet has been a touchstone for many years for White. She was only 10 when her father died at the age of 37 from the effects of Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam. It has moved around with her throughout adulthood. Her children, Crysta and Kobe, know that it's one of the keepsakes you grab when you head for the basement during tornado season. Now, the responsibility for the helmet is being passed to the Elkville Fire Department, which was a huge part of her father's life."For somebody who was looking for a place to fit in, Elkville was it," White said. "He fit in there."

While looking for a picture of him in his helmet, she was disappointed to find none. However she found numerous pictures of fire trucks. Apparently, Dunn preferred to be behind the camera.

White remembers her father stopping at various fire stations while on vacation with the family. She didn't mind, but the rest of the family wasn't as thrilled. Just stepping into a fire station and taking in the smell of fire hoses brings back good memories for White. She said her father took her to the fire station all the time as a child. She spent a lot of happy hours there with him.

Danny Dunn died Oct. 26, 1984 after a battle with Von Hippel Lindau Syndrome. His daughters Krystal Dunn and Kim Peach also died from the disease.

Dunn was also a past president of the Coal Belt Fire Protection Association and a past member of its Executive Board. He also served as the Elkville Chief of Police and worked on the Elkville Ambulance Service. Though he never set foot in the new fire station in Elkville, Dunn is remembered by those who work and volunteer their time there. As fire chief, he gave talks to children's groups about fire safety, offered mutual aid to neighboring communities and spearheaded the effort to put up a memorial statue in town. His fire chief's helmet will have a permanent home in the building.